Running With Sistershttp://runningwithsisters.com
Crafts, Decorating, and Flea Market FindsThu, 30 Jul 2015 20:00:16 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3How To Bead A Crystal Illusion Necklacehttp://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-bead-a-crystal-illusion-necklace-2/
http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-bead-a-crystal-illusion-necklace-2/#respondThu, 30 Jul 2015 20:00:16 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6290We love making jewelry and this crystal illusion necklace is one of our favorites! The way the beads seem to float on the necklace makes it elegant and really shows off the crystals. We made this step-by-step how-to some time ago, but we just added the video to our YouTube channel, so we thought we […]

]]>We love making jewelry and this crystal illusion necklace is one of our favorites! The way the beads seem to float on the necklace makes it elegant and really shows off the crystals. We made this step-by-step how-to some time ago, but we just added the video to our YouTube channel, so we thought we should share it here too!

Even if you’ve never made a piece of jewelry before, you can make this crystal illusion necklace. We’ll teach you what tools and materials you’ll need. You’ll learn how to arrange the beads and how to attach them to bead stringing wire using crimp tubes. And you’ll learn how to finish a multi-strand necklace and how to put on the clasp. Once you get these basics, you’ll be able to make your own crystal illusion necklaces. Make a single strand necklace, change the colors, make it yours!

Follow along with us on the video, then make your own from the step-by-step instructions below.

Steps
1. Cut three strands of bead stringing wire the following lengths: 20″, 20½”, and 21″.

2. Starting with the 20″ strand of bead stringing wire, slide a crimp tube, a crystal bead, and another crimp tube to the center of the beading wire. Flatten the crimp tube on one side of the bead with the chain-nose pliers. Hold the bead firmly against the flattened crimp tube, slide the other crimp tube up against the bead, and flatten it with the chain nose pliers.

3. Feed on another crimp tube, a bicone bead, a crystal bead, another bicone bead, and a crimp tube. Slide the crimp tubes and bead cluster ¾” away from the first bead and flatten the crimp tubes on either side to hold the cluster in place.

4. Continue adding beads flanked by crimp tubes to the bead stringing wire until your strand has ten beads or bead clusters crimped onto it. Just vary the beads and bead clusters as you go and make sure they are about ¾” apart so sections of the bead stringing wire shows.

5. To bead the 20½” strand of bead stringing wire, slide a crimp tube, a crystal bead, and another crimp tube to the center of the beading wire. Lay the strand next to the beaded 20″ strand so the ends are lined up. Slide the bead and crimps slightly away from the center so they line up between the beads on the beaded strand. Flatten the crimp tubes on either side of the bead with the chain nose pliers. Keep adding beads and bead clusters to the strand and crimping them in place until your strand has nine or ten beads or bead clusters.

6. Repeat to bead the 21″ strand of beading stringing wire using the same technique.

7. To finish the crystal illusion necklace, feed the end of the 20″ strand up through the hole in the bottom of a clamshell bead tip. Slide a crimp tube onto the end and flatten it as close to the end of the wire as you can. Feed one end of the 20½” strand up through the bottom of the same clamshell bead tip. Flatten a crimp on the end of the strand. Feed the last strand up through the same clamshell bead tip and flatten a crimp on the end. Slide the clamshell bead tip up the strands so the crimps sits inside the clamshell. Add a drop of jeweler’s glue to the crimps inside the clamshell. Use the chain-nose pliers to gently close the clamshell and close its loop. Finish the other ends of the three strands using the same technique.

8. Using the chain-nose pliers and round-nose pliers, open a jump ring like you’d open a door. Slide the lobster clasp and the loop of a clamshell bead tip onto the jump ring, then close the jump ring. Open the other jump ring the same way, slide on the other clamshell bead tip, and close the jump ring.

Remember, if you have any questions while you’re working on your crystal illusion necklace, we’re here to help. Just leave us a note in the comments and we’ll respond! Or if you just want to say hi. We’d love to hear from you!
Cheers,
Jennifer & Kitty

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-bead-a-crystal-illusion-necklace-2/feed/0Shell Craft Round-Up!http://runningwithsisters.com/shell-craft-round-up/
http://runningwithsisters.com/shell-craft-round-up/#respondTue, 28 Jul 2015 01:00:12 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6282We love shell crafts! So when one of our readers asked us for our favorite craft to make with seashells, we decided to do a little round-up! Here are five of our most favorite shell crafts. Seashell Picture Frame We made this one for Woman’s World Magazine. It was fun and easy to put together, […]

Seashell Matchboxes
When we were little, we joined our grandmother in her favorite craft. She would cut pictures out of magazines and decoupage them on matchboxes. We made dozens of them, sometimes adding little toys or sequins to the top! This is our seashell version. We think it’d be fun to tuck a special beachy find inside. Here’s the how-to.

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/shell-craft-round-up/feed/0How To Make Boho Chic Bangle Braceletshttp://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-boho-chic-bangle-bracelets/
http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-boho-chic-bangle-bracelets/#respondFri, 24 Jul 2015 16:00:01 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6275These Boho Chic Bangle Bracelets look like they came from a boutique, but they are so easy to make! We wrapped inexpensive bracelets with ribbon, then added charms. This is a great craft for girls’ night. Just set out all the ribbons, beads, and charms, and get started wrapping! Here are the tools and materials […]

]]>These Boho Chic Bangle Bracelets look like they came from a boutique, but they are so easy to make! We wrapped inexpensive bracelets with ribbon, then added charms. This is a great craft for girls’ night. Just set out all the ribbons, beads, and charms, and get started wrapping!

Here are the tools and materials you’ll need to make these Boho Chic Bangle Bracelets:

Follow along as we make them in the video, then follow the steps below to make your own!

1. Cut a 30″ length of ribbon. Glue one end of the ribbon to a bracelet. Wrap the ribbon tightly around the bracelet overlapping the previous wrap slightly. When the whole bracelet is wrapped, glue the end down.

2. To add a charm, cut a 30″ length of wire. Leaving a 1″ tail, wrap the wire around the ribbon-wrapped bracelet about 30 times all the way around, twist the ends of the wire together two times, slide a charm onto the wire, twist that end back, and wrap around the other wire. Trim the wire. Press the ends down with pliers.

3. To add bicones, cut a 30″ length of wire. Leaving a 1″ tail, wrap the wire around the ribbon-wrapped bracelet about 5 times, slide on a bicone that matches the ribbon, wrap the wire 5 more times, add another bicone, and repeat until the bracelet has 6 bicones and is wrapped with wire. Twist the ends of the wire together two times, slide a charm onto the wire, twist that end back, and wrap around the other wire. Trim the wire. Press the ends down with pliers.

Bangle Wrangle: To round up 30 inexpensive bracelets, skip the bead store and head for Claire’s or the teen jewelry section at Walmart. We got ours in sets of 10 for just a few dollars a set!
Cheers,
Jennifer & Kitty

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-boho-chic-bangle-bracelets/feed/0How To Make A Ribbon Bracelethttp://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-a-ribbon-bracelet/
http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-a-ribbon-bracelet/#respondMon, 20 Jul 2015 20:35:59 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6242Ribbon bracelets are fun and easy to make! With so many pretty ribbons to choose from, picking out the ribbon might be the hardest part! We’ll show you how to use crimp ends to convert the ribbon into a bracelet and how to put on the clasp. Then we’ll embellish the bracelet with a filigree […]

]]>Ribbon bracelets are fun and easy to make! With so many pretty ribbons to choose from, picking out the ribbon might be the hardest part! We’ll show you how to use crimp ends to convert the ribbon into a bracelet and how to put on the clasp. Then we’ll embellish the bracelet with a filigree and little resin rose. You can follow along with this how-to video we made, then follow the steps below to make your own.

Steps To Make A Ribbon Bracelet:
1. Cut a piece of ribbon to be the bracelet. Ours is 6″ long.

2. Add a dab of glue inside one crimp end, then slide a ribbon end into the crimp end.

3. Use the chain-nose pliers to gently close the crimp end over the ribbon end. Be careful not to dent the crimp end. Repeat to add crimp end to the other side of the ribbon.

4. Attach the clasp to the crimp end with a jump ring. To open the jump ring, hold the right side of the jump ring with the chain-nose pliers so that half the jump ring is flat inside the jaws and the split or opening in the jump ring is pointing away from you. Grasp the left side of the jump ring with the round-nose pliers. Open the jump ring by pushing one pair of pliers away from you and pulling the other pair of pliers towards you, like opening a gate or a door. Slide on the clasp and the ribbon end. Close the jump ring by repeating the opening process in reverse, then pressing it flat. Repeat to attach the clasp to the other side.

5. Put a dab of glue on the back of the filigree and press it onto the center of the ribbon bracelet.

6. Put a dab of glue on the back of the resin rose and press it onto the center of the filigree.

This project is so fun and easy, we hope you’ll try it. Let us know what you make!
Cheers,
Jennifer & Kitty

*Some of the items in the materials list link to that item to buy on Amazon. We are affiliates with Amazon and if we send them a buyer, they give us a little in return. You don’t have to buy from them. But if you want to, you can just click the link to see what the product looks like so you can buy it in your local store. We think that’s helpful sometimes.

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-a-ribbon-bracelet/feed/0How To Shorten A Necklacehttp://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-shorten-a-necklace/
http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-shorten-a-necklace/#respondMon, 13 Jul 2015 21:07:23 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6197Want to shorten a necklace? Ever wish you could make a necklace of strung beads shorter? Shortening a necklace is easier than you think! We’ll show you where to cut the wire and how to put the clasp back on after you remove beads. Follow along with our video “How To Shorten A Necklace”, then try […]

]]>Want to shorten a necklace? Ever wish you could make a necklace of strung beads shorter? Shortening a necklace is easier than you think! We’ll show you where to cut the wire and how to put the clasp back on after you remove beads.

Follow along with our video “How To Shorten A Necklace”, then try it yourself with the steps below!

1. Snip the clasp off right next to the clasp. You might think you want to cut the extra beads off the necklace, but it is better to cut the wire at the very end so you can reuse that end of wire to reattach the clasp. Save the clasp.

2. Remove enough beads to make the necklace the right length for you. Do not cut the wire. (Save the beads. You can make a pair of earrings to go with your necklace!)

3. Slide the crimp bead onto the wire. Slide it all the way on until it reaches the beads.

4. Slide the clasp onto the wire and slide it all the way down to the crimp.

5. Take the end of the wire and go around the clasp and feed the end of the wire back through the crimp.

6. Make sure the clasp and crimp are pressed tightly up against the beads with no extra wiggle room. Then flatten the crimp with the chain-nose pliers.

7. Snip the excess wire off with the wire snips. (Hold the tail of the wire before you cut it so it doesn’t fly off!)

]]>We love Victorian clip art, it turns any craft into a vintage-style delight! Here’s a vintage Victorian journal we made using downloadable clip art. We chose a handsome kitten to place in our scrolly die-cut frame. Gold paint, metallic trim, and satin roses finish off this sweet gift craft!

Steps
1. Prime the wooden frame and the front, back, and inside edges of the blank book with gesso. Let dry. Paint the journal Mint Chip and the wooden frame gold.

2. Cut out the kitten clip art and glue into the frame using the Fabri-Tac. Glue the frame to the center of the journal.

3. Lay the gold gimp trim on top of the metallic lace ribbon and glue in place. Glue the ribbon to the journal above the top and down the side of the frame, leaving a ¼” border around the frame.

4. Make a bow in the lace ribbon, braided trim, and gimp trim. Stack and glue the bows with lace on the bottom, braided in the middle, and gimp on top. Finish by gluing the three roses to the center of the bows.

Cheers!
Jennifer & Kitty

*Some of the items in the materials list link to that item to buy on Amazon. We are affiliates with Amazon and if we send them a buyer, they give us a little in return. You don’t have to buy from them. But if you want to, you can just click the link to see what the product looks like so you can buy it in your local store. We think that’s helpful sometimes.

Steps:
1. Scan and scale your maps in a program like Photoshop so you fit the places you want to feature on your cuff. Print the maps out with a laser printer. Inkjet images will smear and run when you apply the ModPodge. (Alternatively, make color copies of real maps on a laser printer.)

2. Cut a 2.25” by 8” strip of vintage map for each bracelet (or if your cuff is a different size than ours, cut your strip 3 times as wide as your bracelet and 2 inches longer). Paint the back of the map strip with Mod Podge and fold around the bracelet. Fold the ends over like you are wrapping a present. Trim if needed.

3. Cover the surface with Mod Podge. Let dry.

4. Super glue the flatback crystals onto the flat part of the cuff right on the map. You can use a toothpick to apply the glue.

What We Did:
1. Paint two balls with each pearl craft paint color and let dry.

2. Hot glue shells to each ball, rotating shells to fit as you go. Cover two balls completely in each type of shell.

3. Pour sand and iridescent glitter into a plastic cup and stir with a craft stick. Apply watered-down glue to the areas between the shells using the craft paintbrush. Dust immediately with the sand-glitter mixture and tap off excess. Continue painting watered-down glue and dusting balls until each ball is embellished with sand-glitter.

4. To scent the balls, put three to five drops of coconut fragrance oil under a shell or two before gluing them down. Display in a shallow bowl.

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/scented-decorative-seashell-balls/feed/0Making Convertible Crystal Jewelryhttp://runningwithsisters.com/making-convertible-crystal-jewelry/
http://runningwithsisters.com/making-convertible-crystal-jewelry/#respondThu, 25 Jun 2015 20:47:52 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6107We love making jewelry, especially with real crystals. So sparkly! So when Diane Whiting came out with her new book “Convertible Crystal Jewelry: Reverse it, Twist it, Wear it Many Ways,” we couldn’t wait to dive in. We met Diane Whiting at the Bead & Boutique Arts Show in Concord, California when we took […]

]]>We love making jewelry, especially with real crystals. So sparkly! So when Diane Whiting came out with her new book “Convertible Crystal Jewelry: Reverse it, Twist it, Wear it Many Ways,” we couldn’t wait to dive in.

We met Diane Whiting at the Bead & Boutique Arts Show in Concord, California when we took a bead weaving class from her. We had never done any kind of bead weaving before and WOW did we get hooked! The pieces we made in that class looked so professional! We couldn’t believe we made them ourselves!

Kitty, Diane, and Jennifer at the Bead & Boutique Arts Show

Diane is a great teacher and her designs are elegant and lovely, so we were not surprised when we opened her book. Pages and pages of beautiful jewelry designs. She has created 25 projects that are all glamorous and wearable. And we love the “convertible” jewelry idea, for all your hard work on complex projects like Tila For Two Bracelet (pictured) you end up with two pieces of jewelry! We made ours with copper tilas on one side and turquoise/copper beads on the other. Just flip it over for a different look!

Click here to see the book on Diane’s website and see if you want to order it. (All proceeds go to Diane, not us!)

The instructions in the book are clear and well illustrated with both detailed step photos and drawn illustrations. There are a lot of little “technique spotlight” insets too that share all kinds of handy tips and tricks, the kind of insider know-how you get from in-person classes. (Do take a class from her in person if you ever get the chance!) And there are a range of projects from simple (beginner) to more advanced bead-weaving, but no matter the difficulty (or ease) they are all things we want to make and wear!

Good news! Diane is doing a giveaway on her Facebook page. Go on over there and LIKE her page and leave her a message that you’d like to win a copy. The drawing is June 30, 2015. Good luck!

]]>http://runningwithsisters.com/making-convertible-crystal-jewelry/feed/0How To Make Wrapped Loops for Jewelryhttp://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-wrapped-loops-for-jewelry/
http://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-make-wrapped-loops-for-jewelry/#respondFri, 19 Jun 2015 18:40:10 +0000http://runningwithsisters.com/?p=6086Ever wonder how to make wirework jewelry? Here’s an introduction to making wrapped loops. Once you learn this skill, you can make all kinds of wirework jewelry! Follow along with our video, then practice your wrapped loop making skills to create this Wrapped Loop Lariat Necklace. Materials Antique brass chain 2 headpins, antique brass 2 […]

2. Slide a bicone bead, a pear-shaped bead, and then a bead cap onto a head pin.

3. Make a wrapped loop in the head pin. To do this, pinch the headpin wire above the bead cap with the tip of the round-nose pliers and bend the wire towards yourself 90 degrees. Reposition the round-nose pliers on top of the wire, just above the 90-degree turn. Wrap the end of the headpin over the top jaw of the pliers to start a loop. Reposition the bottom jaw of the round-nose pliers into the partial loop. Bend the wire the rest of the way around to make a complete loop.

4. Slide the loop through the last link in the chain. Grasp the loop with the chain-nose pliers. Wrap the end of the wire around the beaded headpin two times then trim with wire cutters.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make a wrapped loop for the other end of the chain.

If you have any questions, just leave us a comment. We’re here to help!
Cheers!
Jennifer & Kitty